FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a general refrigerator. According this figure, a storage space (not shown) is formed in a body 1 of the refrigerator
The storage space is divided into a left freezing chamber and a right refrigerating chamber by a mullion (not shown) that is vertically placed to partition the interior of the body 1 at the center thereof.
The freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber are opened or closed by doors 3 and 3′, respectively. The doors 3 and 3′ are pivotally supported by hinge assemblies 5 in upper and lower portions at both lateral ends of a front face of the body 1. Han dies 7 are also provided on the doors 3 and 3′ to open or close the doors.
A home bar 10 is provided in the door 3′ for opening or closing the refrigerating chamber. The home bar 10 allows a stored article to be taken in or out without opening the door 3′. Referring to the configuration of the home bar 10, a rectangular home-bar frame 12 is installed in an opening formed through the door 3′. A stored article can be taken in or out through a central opening of the home-bar frame 12. The opening is opened or closed by a home-bar door 14. Thus, the home-bar door 14 is formed to have a shape capable of being placed in the opening. Of course, an insulation layer is formed within the home-bar door 14.
An upper end of the home-bar door 14 is rotated downward by approximately 90 degrees about rotational shafts (not shown) provided at both ends of a lower portion so as to open the opening. In order to prevent the home-bar door 14 from being abruptly opened, a damper (not shown) may also be used.
However, the home-bar door apparatus of the convention refrigerator has the foil owing problems.
That is, the rotational shaft serving as the center of rotation of the home-bar door 14 generally protrudes from the damper, and the damper is installed inside the home-bar door 14. Thus, since the rotational shaft of the damper is installed in the home-bar frame 12 and thus entirely supports the load of the home-bar door 14, there is a problem in that the coupled state thereof may be released due to long-term use or opening/closing impact of the home-bar door 14.
In addition, in a case where the dampers are internally installed at the both ends of the lower portion of the home-bar door 14, a stopping structure is inevitably provided at a position corresponding to a center of the lower portion of the home-bar door 14 so that the home-bar door is supported by the home-bar frame 12 when the home-bar door 14 is opened. Therefore, the stopping structure is inevitably far from the both ends of the home-bar door 14, and thus, there is a problem in that the strength supporting the both ends of the home-bar door 14 is relatively weakened.
Moreover, in the prior art in which the rotational shaft serving as the center of rotation of the home-bar door 14 is constructed to protrude from the damper, there is a problem in that the entire damper should be replaced if the rotational shaft is damaged due to the load of the home-bar door 14.
In addition, the prior art has a problem in that when the home-bar door 14 is closed, initial opening of the home-bar door needs much force due to difference between external and internal pressure of the storage space and due to adhesion force between a gasket positioned at the back of the home-bar door 14 and a gasket positioned at the home-bar frame 12.